[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/keAbh5L.jpg[/img][/center] [b]Coast City[/b] It hadn't taken Raven Darkleholm very long to find her estranged son. The name Graydon Creed rang out in the slums of Coast City, hailed as a hope for those who feared and hated the mutant race. It brought a bitter taste to her mouth, "The Friends of Humanity" a growing number of non mutants, banding together, they were beginning to form a threat. She had avoided thinking about her son whenever she could, hoping that his life had fallen into the happy and ignorant norms of the humans around here. Giving him up had seemed like the safest option at the time, but she couldn’t quell the gnawing feeling that who he had become had only been as a result of her abandoning him. Guilt. That was something she couldn’t afford to let cloud her mind. Mystique had travelled to Coast City to head up the work of the Brotherhood here. That was her focus. That needed to be her focus. Perhaps that and settling a score with Captain Marvel. Mystique had spent the last three months concealing her mutant abilities so well that she was able to work for the United States Civil Service and quickly work her way up in the United States Department of Defense. The mission will have served its purpose, gathering intelligence and access to weaponry, before anyone would notice the officers she had replaced were missing. It was here that she learned Marvel was heading up an attack on The Brotherhood and realized the lack of organization in Coast City needed to be tightened up. She wouldn’t have the Brotherhood falling - especially by Captain Marvel's hands. But there was something she needed to address before tonight's meeting. Crouched in a fire escape, Mystique used her camouflage abilities to sink into the shadows, something she was good enough at without her abilities. It was a dark stretch of road, provided with dim beams of light from the pool houses and bars that lined the pavement. The hive of human chatter and music spilling out of the doors every time someone left for a cigarette. Unsteady footsteps echoed round the corner of a nearby alley. Graydon Creed stumbled forward and grabbed a lamppost for support. He clung there, slack-jawed and slumped over, for a long time before he said, "You can’t leave me here, Jane.” The slurred words falling flatly into the empty street. His red solo cup slid from his hand to plunk pitifully on the sidewalk at his feet. Mystique pitied him. She pitied the failure of a human her son had come to be. Perhaps if she had raised him as her own things would have been very different for him. As soon as she was sure her son had no mutant abilities she had given up any thought of potential their bonding could bring, but on behalf of the Brotherhood there was one last thing that she needed to take care of with Graydon. Perhaps not tonight. Her attentions were needed elsewhere. [center]-[/center] [b]Industrial Sector 1:30am[/b] Mystique entered the building to a hum of muted conversation. The building was an old factory under reconstruction, it was easier to meet like this, at night in abandoned sites. The Brotherhood was growing and they needed direction. Climbing up on the mezzanine she could make out Pyro heading up the meeting. [color=f7941d]"This is one more reason why we need to band together, brothers, if we look forward to the same goal, that’s the only way we will be able to move forward, as one. You have your cause and you are familiar with our plans going forward, we cannot afford divisions when the JLA have us in sight." [/color] [i]"That's all very well, very inspiring, sir! But when we have the so-called 'Friends of Humanity' coming at us from all angles, it's not like we can make any progress." [/i] Pyro had caught the yellow of Mystique's eyes in his line of sight. [color=f7941d]"You can trust in me that this is being dealt with, as we speak." [/color] [i]"I think it's fair to say that our trust in you has wavered given your choice of lieutenants taking things in their own direction. We need to be making waves in this city - not seeing our leading members in the news dancing with the Fantastic Four."[/i] [b][color=00aeef]"You are correct. This is what happens when members our Brotherhood try to splinter off. And place their own glory above our cause." [/color][/b] Toad and Blob avoided looking in the direction of their leader's voice, they'd caused enough trouble, and attracted attention from Captain Marvel with their pursuits. Lucky to be alive didn’t come into it, it would have saved some effort for Mystique had they not made it out of that ruckus. [i]"Look lady, your ghost act doesn’t really instil much confidence in me either." [/i] Mystique fingered some broken glass on the ledge next to her. [b][color=00aeef]"That’s a shame, here I am in front of you, your leader, and you tell me you're struggling with the chain of command." [/color][/b] Stepping out of the shadows the dim lighting afforded the brotherhood member some clarity, and with it, fear. [b][color=00aeef]"No longer will I put up with the mediocre effort you have been putting forward. Petty crimes to feed your fragile egos have no place here. We have our sights set higher than low level crime. We have a cause, and if you're not ready to commit to that you are free to leave. But let it be known, splintering off from this faction will result in severe consequences. We are here for the rights of our mutant brothers. I am here to make sure we will [i]never[/i] have to bend the knee to lesser beings." [/color][/b] Shouts of support echoed the walls. To Mystique, the paltry hum of untrained mutants. There was plenty of work to be done here. Pyro had made his way over to her through the pulse of bodies below. [color=f7941d]"Raven." [/color] [b][color=00aeef]"Funny, I seldom hear my old name anymore." [/color][/b] [color=f7941d]"Is it done?" [/color] [b][color=00aeef]"Dear, you understand that you're asking her to kill my own son?"[/color] [/b] [color=f7941d]"Don't try and spin that shit with me, Raven. Don’t try and kid me, or even yourself into thinking you're actually this guy's mother. You know you're the only shot we've got to turning him on to our side and we both know that’s a pretty slim fucking chance." [/color] [b][color=00aeef]"Don’t doubt me, or my dedication to the Brotherhood. I'm prepared to do what I need to."[/color][/b] [color=f7941d]"Then get it done. You know we're getting closed in on, now is the time to make a move. This is the statement we need to keep those fuckers at bay, we've got bigger fish to fry." [/color] Mystique moved in closer to Pyro, reaching up to drag her blue scaled hand down his cheek. [b][color=00aeef]"Have a little faith...Brother."[/color][/b] Her claw finishing up around his chin slowly dragging across his neck. [b][color=00aeef]"Don’t forget who's in charge here." [/color][/b]